Re: Solid state guitar amps

201
Garth wrote: Thu Jul 24, 2025 5:27 pm
W.L.Weller wrote: Thu Jul 24, 2025 11:59 am I'm just cranky because I want to get my Yamaha G100ii & GK 400RB & 800RB back on the road. Worst of all, they're intermittent problems. I should probably go through and tighten/clean connections, check the unused fx loops, reverb cables on the G100, etc.
Can't speak to the Yamaha, but pretty sure the GKs are still repairable. At least FM Nate has documented here how he has brought several 800s back to life.
The GKs are absolutely repairable, by someone like Nate or Ben. My dilemma is finding someone like Nate or Ben who's willing and able to repair them. I'm going to get a quote from these folks and see how it goes: https://www.earsnycproaudio.com/

Re: Solid state guitar amps

202
benadrian wrote: Fri Jul 25, 2025 9:17 am
Garth wrote: Thu Jul 24, 2025 5:27 pm
W.L.Weller wrote: Thu Jul 24, 2025 11:59 am I'm just cranky because I want to get my Yamaha G100ii & GK 400RB & 800RB back on the road. Worst of all, they're intermittent problems. I should probably go through and tighten/clean connections, check the unused fx loops, reverb cables on the G100, etc.
Can't speak to the Yamaha, but pretty sure the GKs are still repairable. At least FM Nate has documented here how he has brought several 800s back to life.
I've often thought that if I was every a bass player again in any serious capacity, I'd just buy two or three 800RB heads. All of the 800RB heads have three circuit boards which roughly translate to preamp, power amp, and power supply. Any circuit board can be swapped from any era. So a 2002 preamp can drop in to a 1988 unit ans work just fine. With three 800RB heads, I could always have one working, one backup, and one on the bench being restored and cleaned up.
Before he switched to Hiwatts, I'm pretty sure Chris from Metz rotated through a pile of about 6 800RBs (maybe more?).

Re: Solid state guitar amps

204
mdc wrote: Mon Jul 28, 2025 10:19 am Those heads are truly ugly though.
Ugly Quilters reminded me of one of my favorite posts from the old forum:
surfrider wrote:My only experience with Crate was one time when i was doing a show, and the band on after us had two guitarists that both had these little plastic boxes with the word CRATE on them in large letters. We finished playing and were tearing down. As i was taking my big, old, heavy, partridge-laden amp down from off the cab (grunting and sweating a little with the weight of it), one guitarist of the next band said to me, why the fuck do you even bother with a big old out of date thing like that, when you can just use THIS! The thing was, he seemed so exasperated and pissed off at me as he was brandishing this external hard drive looking thing in my face. Like he really couldn't fathom why on earth i would not already have this tiny plastic device with the word CRATE on it in large letters. I politely informed him that oh i just really like the sound of this amp as i was just trying to tear down quickly, get out of the way, and be civil in the process. But this just seemed to anger him even more. Vitriol spilling out of his vein-throbbing head and thrusting a laptop at me, he said you fucking moron! Tell me the make and model of that amp and i'll just program in on here!! He went on to load several sweet vintage amp tones with a usb cable from his laptop in to the small plastic box with the word CRATE on it. We packed up and got a drink, then watched a little bit of the band on after us that had the two guitarists with the tiny plastic boxes with the word CRATE on them in large letters. They were not a very good band and their sweet vintage tone made me want to sit outside in the cold. Especially when the guitarist who had spoken to me earlier said before a song, this one is dedicated to people who are stuck in the past, whilst pointing at me and looking confused with rage. Later on, we heard them doing a metal cover of the Divinyls' hit, 'I Touch Myself', but changing the lyrics to: when you think about me you touch yourself. This is my only experience with CRATE amplification.

Re: Solid state guitar amps

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So I ran a setup last night at practice that was Helix into the power amp in of my bandmate's extra GK MB500 (class D mini head), into two 1x12 guitar cabs. I keep two beater 1x12 cabs at our practice space, but I take don't leave my head there because it's one of a kind and I'm paranoid.

While not as good as my Traynor head, this setup still sounded great. Also, it was quick, easy, and saved a good amount of weight.

So now I'm looking for a stereo (or two mono), tiny amp/power amp setup. I want to avoid a rack-mount amp and anything that has ONLY speakon connectors. I know I could just throw money at it and get something like the Duncan Power Stage 700, but that is both 700 watts and 700 USD. I want to find something that is a secret steal; like a forgotten Peavey from 8 years ago that sounds terrible but has an effects loop. Anyone keeping any secrets?

Anyway, fun with solid state. Gonna keep mooching that bass head for now.

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